Lets talk |FINISHED

[RICHARD PLANTAGENET]

As Anne gently caressed his cheek again, Richard allowed himself a small smile of satisfaction. The argument was averted and all seemed well...he never liked arguing with Anne for long. Her beautiful face was meant for radiant smiles not withering scorn. He made as if to copy her motion with his own hand but she moved away and began refilling her teacup.

That strange, exhilarating moment of apparent mutual affection seemed to be lost.

His smile fading a little, Richard too returned his attention to his teacup, albeit with a bit more awkwardness and a bit less confidence than was usual with him. What had just happened there? Anne, who had once been his friend but who now loathed him (and for good reason) had just kissed him on the cheeks seconds after they had argued, not to mention called him by a pet name he always used on her.

Richard simply couldn't fathom it. He drained his cup and set it down. He hadn't looked at Anne since she'd moved away but now he chanced to gaze upon her again, his expression and overall demeanour the gentlest and most calm he supposed he had ever been around her.

For once he wasn't trying to be in control, he wasn't trying to have all the power. Had the mask slipped? Even now it was hard to tell...this didn't feel like the real Richard. And yet he was more like his former self, the man he'd been before the war...that much was obvious.

"Anne," he said, his tone calm, and not forced at all. "You can wear whichever colour dress takes your fancy." He gave her a weak, somewhat apologetic smile.

[ANNE SOPHIE PLANTAGENET]

Anne just smiled at Richard and finished her tea cup as she sat a little bit further away f rom him and sighed, how was she going to tell him that she still did not want to go with him, she was pleased that he had now agreed to the dress, but if she went she would just be used by him as a means of exposure.

She knew she was fairly pretty, well she was gorgeous and whichever man would have her would be influenced in a way that was to his favor , this was because she was the late mayors wife and if that did not mean anything to the man that he was a fool.

Sighning she turned to Richard and placed her hands on her neck and started to rub it slowly and cougued a few times before she could get up the courage to tell him that she was not going still, But yet his face and eyes harbored a change in them, they looked just like the eyes of when they were young.

She was happy that he could return to that time, but now she had to break that happiness, " I am still not going..." she told him and put on a serious face, just to make him know that maybe they would need to talk more before she agreed, whith just talking she would be fine and would say yes.

[RICHARD PLANTAGENET]

Richard did not know that Anne had already deciphered his plans for their intended outing. Had he been in his usual state he would have most likely been able to tell what she was thinking and act upon it...but then again maybe not. He had always been...different around Anne. When they were younger and even now.

When she smiled at him his own smile grew a little in expectance of her answering in the positive; yes she would be coming and yes, she would be delighted.

But no such answer was forthcoming.

Anne rubbed her neck, coughed, and made a great deal of not saying anything until at last she spoke again, with an answer that Richard did not want to hear...

"I am still not going..."

Was it really worth all this effort, Richard wondered to himself, to get her to go? In truth he hated dealing with reporters and the media... But at the same time this dinner wasn't just about him showing Anne off a little to better his public image...it was because, despite everything that had happened between them over the years and even despite himself...he felt something for her. Affection? Lust? Love? Whatever the hell it was it was certainly there.

Would he really stoop so low as to ask what she wanted, relinquish his power, even for a moment?

Well, he reasoned, this is a special case. I'm not giving up the game yet, by no means. I'm just...having a time out. Of sorts.

"What would I have to do," he asked, his voice deadly calm yet not as threatening as before. "To get you to come?"

[ANNE SOPHIE PLANTAGENET]

Anne stood straight a little more when she heard him say that what could he do to get her to come, how could she refuse now to what he was asking her since he was being sweet she could really not make the man suffer any more now it would just be cruel.

But yet the image of what would happen in the dinner in her mind as she was really curious at what he would do, would he want to kiss her, feed her, would they do the things that usually lovers did she had not done these things since Edward died... remebering made her sad , and also made her miss him.

She tried not to remember the image of her husband the emotions that they had shared by keeping herself busy every day that she lived, cocking her head she turned to look at Richard and started to move herself closer towards him and stared at his eyes wondering if he was telling the truth or was he plotting something.

But if he was not, she would in an instant tell him her awnser that she was now thinking in her mind, what would she want him to do so that she would say yes. " Just get a table away from everyone around us... something private " she whispered calmly at him.

[RICHARD PLANTAGENET]

"Just get a table away from everyone around us... something private... "

The way Anne was looking into his eyes...the way she'd whispered her request...

Had he still been in the same mood as he had been before the kiss, with nothing but his public image in mind, he would doubtless have been furious and refused. But things were different now. Perhaps, he thought, perhaps...she felt something too? For him?

Was it possible? He'd murdered her husband after all; what sort of twisted person would feel anything but hatred for the man who'd committed such a crime? But then...if he was twisted in body and she was twisted in mind...something might come of all this.

He hoped.

Certainly being in a secluded spot would keep the pair of them away from the attention he craved, which had been the original purpose of the whole deal... But she'd kissed him. There was another purpose now, firmly rooted in Richard's mind.

Tentatively he reached out to touch her cheek as she'd touched his.

"If that's what you want, Anne," he said gently.

[ANNE SOPHIE PLANTAGENET]

Anne just stared at him trying a little to keep her sensibilities and also not trying to get nervous around him, she hated when he just sat there looking and thinking.

If there was one thing she hated most that his silence it was the silence in the room not feeling a voice or a cry or a laught his made her a little deppressed and would have wnated to have her child.

But he was not returning yet, so she just had Richard, the man who she hated yet at one point respected him, gave him his place and also called him her friend.

How life had changed and made them now enemys but now she was rambling on about the past and about the future for now she had to concentrate on what she had to do which was go to the dinner with Richard when he would say when it would be.

Feeling his hand on her cheek she stayed very still and felt him carres her which made her shiver, he could do all that he wanted to her she just had to stay sane in mind as she sighed and closed her eyes moving her hand away from him a little , but would he put it back were he had touched.

[RICHARD PLANTAGENET]

Richard's smile returned as Anne closed her eyes; could it be that she was somehow finding pleasure in his affections? Yet when he moved her head away slightly he knew that wasn't the case.

He momentarily considered moving his hand away from her, he had to win her respect back after all if he ever wanted to get anywhere with her. And yet why was it that when she caressed him like that he'd suddenly felt so weak, whereas she remained strong enough to revoke him?

It was because she's known love.

The thought suddenly struck him like a bolt of lightning. He'd always thought that d'Anjou had never really loved her, that he'd just used her...Whether that was true or no it was obvious she had loved him...she was rejecting his advances, after all, and he'd been treating her so well that morning.

The again, he had killed her husband. It was normal for her not to feel the same way she once had about him. He'd have to keep that in mind.

Yet his didn't move his hand away. He moved to touch her cheek again, sliding his thumb under her chin so he had her jaw in his grip. It wasn't strong, but strong enough so that she couldn't try to wrench herself free.

[ANNE SOPHIE PLANTAGENET]

Anne just tensed her jack when he grabbed hold of her jaw and would not let go what was he up to she did not mean to do anything that would unplease him she was just trying to keep her integrity , he did not have to reminde her that he had a hold of her.

She found it very uncofortable and tried to stay still from his hold , she hated him, she hated him by god she could not stand it and wanted to wretch away as she controlled her breath, her hand going up to her face as she tried to peel away the fingers and start to move away as she felt a hand wrap around her waist as she started to dig her nails in the cushion hating every moment that she had with him.

She hated him she hated him in full swing and she could not say it to his face, " Please let me go.. "she asked him almost begging as she was always under his mercy , always under his mercy never was she the one who controlled him, she the one who made a fool out of him.

[RICHARD PLANTAGENET]

Richard wasn't sure exactly what had come over him or what he meant by his grip on Anne. He was trying to come across in a positive light, he was trying to win her favour...win her over. But remembering the times they had spent together, remembering d'Anjou...the look on his face when he'd pulled the trigger...

Anne was no longer Edward d'Anjou's...she was his. Richard's. As if to physically make his sentiment known he'd gripped Anne's jaw in his hand. Even as she tried to prize his fingers off he let go and instead slid his hand around her waist, keeping her close to him...the way it should have been years ago.

"Please let me go.. "

She was pleading, begging, beseeching him to release her. She meant it literally, Richard knew, yet there was something in her voice telling him it was not just the physical pain of his grip on her that she wanted to be free of. He had complete control over her...she could do little to nothing against him if she wanted herself and her son to survive...this would teach her for falling for Edward instead of him...

Rather than letting her go as she wished Richard only tightened his grip, pulling her closer to him.

"Why should I?" he replied, a hint of a smirk playing about his mouth. It was a childish, stupid thing to say...he wasn't even sure why he said it. It was as though he wanted to hear Anne say that he shouldn't let her go, he couldn't, because she was his. Surely she knew this.

[ANNE SOPHIE PLANTAGENET]

Anne saw him remove his hand from her cheek, as she tried desperatly to struggle away from him, failing since he started to grab a hold of her ever so tightly around her waist as she tried to pry her with her fingers his hand as he was not letting go of her, and he was not planning on to either any time soon.

So all she could do right now was sag in his arms, as she felt tears beggin to trickle down her face and it was all because of him she hated him with her soul and he would pay one day for her grievings or she would make him certainly pay for them.

Hearing him say that why should he, she just sighed and was looking away from him , she could not stay at his eyes it was pathetic she knew that but her hate could not really be said in front of this man and actually she would rather avoid the subject of why or how or when was she going to be let go.

She could only reply comply with him for an awnser as she turned her head around and whispered quietly, " Because I hate you......... I hate you , murderer..." she told him and just continued sagging like a doll as she was wishing that it would end and just felt his grip on her tighten almost making her gag as she was loosing her breath.

[RICHARD PLANTAGENET]

"Because I hate you......... I hate you , murderer..."

This insult wasn't new to Richard, it had been the one of choice when he first let Anne know of his crimes against the two Lancastrians. That wasn't to say it didn't still hurt. Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me...whoever made up that little ditty was either a liar or mad. Usually Anne's insults had little to no impact on Richard, but the word murderer...it struck a chord.

Not to mention the silent tears now coursing down Anne's cheeks. Richard couldn't bear to see Anne cry, loath as he was to admit it even to himself. Realizing that attempting a comforting embrace would not be the greatest idea he'd ever had he instead unwound his arm from her waist and fumbled in his jacket pocket, eventually producing a crisp white handkerchief. He lifted this to her face and began to try and brush away her tears.

He said nothing for, in this case at least, he thought actions spoke louder than words. Surely she could see that he didn't hate her? His feelings for her, whatever they were, had never changed.

[ANNE SOPHIE PLANTAGENET]

Anne felt Richard slip his arms away as she stood up from him moving away , noticing him hand her a handkerchief she just slid away and over towards the kitchen not looking at him in the face as she just wanted to be alone.

But quite suddenly she stopped and remembered that it was not proper to leave ones guest like that even though she was in an emotional state of distress, walking back she sat down next to Richard her whole body shaking as she was wondering what would happen next.

She was mostly worried about what would he do to her, after that hold he could practically do anything and she would not even flinch back, she would stay calm and quiet maybe talk to him a little as she was just not even in the mood to talk to him.

But maybe he would say sorry to her, but naa he was not the type to be forgiving either so she would have to make due with just cleaning her eyes and thinking of better things that would come in the day. " I will go to the Dinner with you, just leave me alone" she said weakkly and tried to fix her hair.

Her body not being able to take any much more of what she was feeling as she curled herself in a ball, " Why do you do this.. "she asked him and sighed and lied down in the sofa staring at Richard.

[RICHARD PLANTAGENET]

As Anne moved away from him, Richard withdrew his offer of the kerchief and replaced it in his jacket pocket. Maybe...maybe he had gone too far this time.

But no...it didn't seem he had. She was coming back to him; shaking uncontrollably with pent up loathing and fear, but walking back towards him all the same. Anne sat down beside him, still shaking. Richard would have attempted a comforting smile but guessed no matter what he tried at the moment, considering Anne's emotional state, nothing would work.

"I will go to the Dinner with you, just leave me alone..."

Richard couldn't help a smirk of triumph. He'd done it again, got her just where he wanted her. And this particular endeavour had been far more interesting than the others, to be certain.

"Why do you do this.. "

Now that was an interesting question, and one to which Richard had many answers, one of which was most prominent but which he felt he shouldn't say just yet. Doubtless Anne would not take kindly to it. No...that particular three word answer could wait awhile.

Instead he replied, his tone as civil and calm as ever it had been;

"Is it so wrong of me to want to comfort an old friend in time of grief?"

[ANNE SOPHIE PLANTAGENET]

Anne could only sigh and noticed Richard smirk at her as she was to exausted emotionally to even think about how to retaliatte that kind of attitude, he was always winning and she loosing to his games that he played.

If she could find his weakness , she would be the happiest woman in the world and be able to torture him all she liked and at all times that she wanted.

But sadly that would never happen, she would always have the lower hand which would make her more like his dog and mistress rather than a human being.

Then with this simple toying of her mind she wondered if Richard Plantagen could really feel any pity or love for someone at all, and also was he always toying around with anybodys feelings.

Oh what a rollecoster life was, especially with this pig coming every day to visit her, and she being the loyal mother not able to provide for her child when the boy needed it the most.

She could always find someone else to play around with, maybe even marry anbody who was not Richard was always a good choice was it not, or was she thinking wrongly.

Anyways she was hoping with her awnser given out, and he reply to going to dinner with him a yes he would leave her alone, but that was not clearly the case as she felt a slight tingle on her leg. "Fucking creep" she started to think as she also at the same time counted in her head to stay calm.

Hearing him reply to her question she could only sigh, "No my lord it is never wrong for you to visit someone even though you have murdered the person relatives. " she added before silencing herself and closing her eyes briefly .

[RICHARD PLANTAGENET]

"No my lord it is never wrong for you to visit someone even though you have murdered the person relatives. "

Richard let out another loud laugh at this, not even removing his hand from Anne's leg in an attempt to stifle it. He did, eventually, do so however, and once his laughter had subsided attempted to form a reply.

"Haha...Anne, my dear...you've outdone yourself!" he cried, moving his hand to ruffle her hair as a master might his dog. "You're very witty this morning and no mistake!"

This being said he stood up from his chair and moved towards the door, picking up his coat as he did so. He had inferred the meaning behind Anne's words and knew she wanted to be alone. For once he decided to oblige her. They had the dinner, after all, with which to get to know each other better again after all these years. He'd achieved the purpose of his visit.

"However, I think you'd agree neither of us have the time to indulge further in such frivolities."

He found himself half hoping she would call him back, ask him to stay a bit longer...

He doubted she would though, and he couldn't blame her.